Wolsey House Primary School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

Main findings

Wolsey House Primary is a good school. The effective headteacher leads by example, and is supported well by her senior colleagues.

The school enjoys notable success in supporting many pupils to overcome barriers to learning. There is a clear upward pattern of improvement. As a result of the good provision, pupils make good progress and attainment is above average.

Some, such as more-able pupils, make outstanding progress. However, the rate of progress for some pupils who are at the earlier stages of being assessed as having special educational needs and/or disabilities slows because they are not always supported well enough. Secure systems to monitor and evaluate the school's work ensure lead...ers and managers have a clear understanding of strengths and areas for improvement.

Together with the effective track record of improvement since the previous inspection, that demonstrates that the school has a good capacity for sustained improvement. Care guidance and support for pupils is central to the work of the school. Support for those pupils at the early stages of learning English is particularly effective.

Pupils with statements of special educational needs are especially well supported and are integrated fully into school life. The approach is appreciated by parents and carers who have positive views of the school, as, for example, the one who commented, 'The school provides a safe haven..

.both our children have benefitted greatly from consistently high teaching and management standards.' Pupils share those views and demonstrate impressive attitudes to learning; they are courteous, polite and report how much they enjoy school.

They participate enthusiastically in school life and believe firmly that the school is an extremely safe place. The popular breakfast club is well attended and provides a range of opportunities enjoyed by pupils. Children enter the nursery with attainment that is well below national expectations.

They make good progress through the Early Years Foundation Stage and this continues as they move through the school. By the time they transfer to secondary schools at the end of Year 6, attainment is above average. The school monitors the progress of most groups of pupils carefully and this contributes to the clear, upward pattern of improvement.

There have been notable successes, such as the impressive achievement of many boys and those pupils entitled to free school meals. However, the development of literacy skills of some pupils with special educational needs is slow because their progress is not tracked well enough and teaching is not always matched closely enough to their learning needs. The school has effectively met the aspects for improvement identified at the previous inspection.

The rate of progress made by pupils in mathematics has accelerated to the extent that attainment in the 2011 national assessments was significantly above average. Assessment information is used better now at Key Stage 1, enabling pupils to make good progress. The outside area of the Early Years Foundation Stage has been developed suitably and provides good additional support for learning.

The governing body is loyal and enthusiastic about the school, ensuring that all statutory responsibilities are met. However, systems to monitor the impact of action plans are at an early stage of development and so it does not hold the school to account effectively enough in this respect.

Information about the school

This is an above average-sized school, serving an urban area on the northern edge of the city of Leicester.

Pupils come from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds and an above-average proportion speaks English as an additional language. The proportion of pupils entitled to free school meals is above average. The number of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities, including those with a statement of special educational needs, is average.

There are more boys than girls in the school and, in some year groups, the imbalance is significant. The school has achieved Healthy Schools status, the Activemark for sport and Environmental School status. A breakfast club run by the school is open each day.